Three-row planter



June 26, 1923.

1,460,236 R. L. FORD THREE-ROW PLANTER v Filed Dec. 8', 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 26, 11923.

R. L. FORD THREE -ROW PLANTER Filed Dec. 8, 1919 2 SheetsSheet 2 Patented .lune 26, 1923.

`UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE.

"RALPH L. FORD, 0F CHICAGO,` ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR `T0 INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER y COMPANY, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

4THREE-aow PLANTER.

Application tiled December 8,1919. Sera1`N1o.f343,393.

To all whom t may concern.' .j

Be it known that I, RALPH L. Fono, a citizen of the United States, residing lat Chicago, in the countylof Cook 'andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements` lin Three-Row Planters, of which the ollowingis `a full, clear, and exact specification. i My invention' relates to planting machines, and more particularly to the type employed to plant corn, or like grain, in spa-ced rows.`

f Anotherobject is to so relate the seat sup.

port to the several coveringwheels as to obitain equal distribution of weighton all the covering wheels, while permitting each to have independent vertical movement.

Vith these main and other incidental lobjects in view, my invention consists of the organization, details of construction, parts, or their equivalents, hereinafter described and more particularly defined in thel claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a'plan view oi' a machine embodying the principles of my invention, the dotted lines showing lateral adjustmentotl one trame; i y

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig.1; i.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation showing `one of the wheels elevated as when passing overa rise in the ground; and

Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on Ithe line 4-4 of Fig. 1, with the hopper and boot broken away.

In general, the machine` consists of a sup-.j

porting or runner rameA, a central trailing frame B and lateral frames C. The runner frame is composed of transverse members or sills 5, 5, This carries a plurality of` ajstrip of metal having a transverse portion and arms at `right angles thereto, which in turn have laterally bent portions forming feet 11. These brackets` are connected tothe transverse members `5, 5a of therunnerframe by bolts 12, 12a which pass` through the transverse portion of the bracket andthe feet 11 respectively. The hoppers, boots and runners and the seed dispensing mechanism employed in connection with each unitmay be `ot ordinary construction, and.. form no part of my present invention. yThe planting units are identical in construction, ybut the central unit/is ixed to the runner frame land hastongue supporting members 13 passing through the transverse portion of its supporting bracket 10, as well as throughv the transverse member-s of the runner frame.

there is a trailer frame which iscomposed of' a metal strip 17 bowed at its center and hav-` ing the forward ends of its arms downward` ly directed` and pivotally connected `at 18 to the arms of the bracket 10. The sides of each trailer trame are braced by a tra-nsverse member 19. In each Jframe there is journaled the `axle of a combined supporti'rame has mounted thereon afrunner adjusting lever 21 which is journaled on `the frame between the arms of a sea-t support 22 which carries the usual rack, 23.y The adjusting lever is connected to the `runner frame by a spring link 24, `and operates inthe usual manner Ayto vary the depth` of plantingby adjustment of the runner frame. -The central fra-me also carries the drive for the seeding mechanism whichmay be of the chain `and sprocket type, as shown at 25 the chain driving seeder shaft 26 which is prefall the planter units. To the rearmost por tion of the central frame there is loosely con `nected as at 27 a pair ot laterally extendn ing links 28, k28:*,each of which isin turn i loosely `connected at 29 to the rear of a side frame. A series of openings, as at 30, Fig. 3, is provided in each linkito lpermit lateral ing and covering wheel `2O. The central adjustment of the side framesl in the same manner as on thel runner frame.r Intermedia-te the ends of each of the links-"28, 281L there is-pivotally` connected, as at 3l, an

evener bar 32 which may be slightly spacedl from the links by collars: 33 mounted on the pivot bolts. ends of the evener bar there is loosely connected upwardly extending members- 34.

' scrapersliaft 37V is'v supported by brackets-38 on the' centra-l frame and by hangers 39 on the side frames; This ,shaft carries a scraper el()` for eachv wheel, and the shaft is rocked to vbring the scrapersin operative? po'- sition when desiredv by` means of a pedaltllV mounted on the wheel axle of `thecentral:

frame and'- connected by a. link. 42 with a crankf arm on'the scraper shaft. The links 28,- 282L and evener bars 32 together composey anarticulated connection between the frames, and the jointsV inthe scraper shaft are so spaced as-to enable it' to follow. the movements o-ifthesefconnections. u

It1 will be plain from thev above description takenin connection-with the drawings,

` that each trailer frame is capable of a considerable range ofl independent vertical movement, andlthat thev side framesy may be laterallyA adjusted as shown in Fig.' l, by setting the connectingbolts in anyone ot the ropenings in the runner frame and rear links. It;l will also be plain thatl the drivers weight' is carried mainly by the evener bar 32V and that' it is distributed by said bar equally to all thefframes and wheels-through thelinks' 28, 2S`Ll` in whatever position of adjustment the lateral trames maybe.

It will be understood that the constructionhere disclosed is .merely illustrative and that. changes within the scope of the appended claims may be made. i

What. I` claim. is

l;A Thecombination of a rigid frame, a` series of spaced planting units provided w-itlr runnersv supporting said frame, a trailer frameloosely connected toeach unit,

a' wlieel'in'each trailer framein alignment' withthe planting unit, articulatedconnec-l tions joining -thetrailer frames, anda seat i 'support resting on. said connections.

2. The combination of a rigid frame, a

series of spaced planting units provided with runners support-ing lsaid frame, a trailer' frame' loosely 'connectedl to each unit, a wheel in each trailer frame in. alignment with the planting unit, articulatedA connectionfs'joiningthe rear ends of the trailer frames, and a. seat support restingon` said connections.' i

3.. The combination* of!` a rigidf frame, a

At equal distances'. from the This support' series of spaced planting tlimits providedv with runners supporting said frame, a frame connected to each unit for vertical movement, a wheel in each` frame in alignment with each planting unit, a link extending from each movable frame to the next and loosely connected at each end to the frames, and an evener link loosely connected to t-wo of saidlinks.A

4. The combination of a rigid frame, a

series of spaced planting units 'providied withl runners supporting said frame, aframe connectedy to each unit for vertical movement, awlieely in each frame in alignment with each planting unit, ay link extending from each movable frame to the next and loosely connected at each end-to theframes,

an evener link loosely connected to two off the arms of the bracket, a U-shaped trailer frame having its' branches pivoted to the arms ofthe bracket for movement vertically, a supporting wheel journaled within the' trailer frame in alinement with the planting unitA and driving ineansbetween the and planting unit.

o.l In a* planter, al forward support comf prising paralleln transversely extending bars,

a plurality of? support-ing brackets each in-` cluding laterally spaced armsl mounted between said parallelmembers so asto be ad-` justable towards and from one another, planting units mounted between the arms of the brackets and adjustable therewith,

independent U-shaped'trailer frames having their branches pivoted to-the bracket arms for'vertical movement, a supp'ortingwheel withiny each trailer frame, and actuating means for the planting units driven from one of the supporting'wheels.

7. In a planter, a forward support, three transverselyv arranged trailer frames connectedtosaid support for vertical movement, links loosely connecting` thecentral irameto the lateral frames andan evener link loosely connected to both l offsaid links' 8. In a planter, a forward support, three transversely arranged' trailer frames: connected to said support for vertical movement, links.- loosely connecting' the central frame to the lateral frames, an evener link loosely connected'to botho said links, and a seat support having itsforward end pivotally connected to the central framev and RALPH L. FGRD.`

wheel 

